Robert E. Calvert is professor of political science at DePauw University.

A standard charge in recent years has been that the American university has become unduly politicized. That is largely a misperception fostered by the grandstanding of left-leaning humanities professors and the consequent lamentations of right-leaning commentators who seem to believe it a proper function of universities to instill an uncritical patriotism in their students. The more pertinent worry is whether today's universities are doing what they can and should to give their students the knowledge and the critical acumen needed to lead the sovereign public of a democratic superpower. It would be hard to imagine a more appropriate and illustrious cast of contributors than the one here assembled to shed light on this very timely concern.

• Chapter 1 PrefaceChapter 2 Political Education and the Modern UniversityChapter 3 Between Resignation and Utopia: Political Education and the Modern UniversityChapter 4 Liberal Education and the Civic ProjectChapter 5 The Media, the Mall, and the Multiplex: America's Invisible Tutors and the End of CitizenshipChapter 6 The Values of Media, the Values of Citizenship, and the Values of Higher EducationChapter 7 Public Spaces and MyUniveristy.comChapter 8 The Culture of Expedience: Liberal Education Meets the "Real" WorldChapter 9 Education and Character in an Age of Moral FreedomChapter 10 Democracy, Character, and the UniversityChapter 11 How Do We Talk?God Talk and American Political LifeChapter 12 Plato's Dogs: Reflections on the University after 9/11Chapter 13 The Civic Education of a Black American in a Great Big WorldChapter 14 Moral Education and Democratic CitizenshipChapter 15 Utopias Gone Wrong: The Anti-Political Culture of the Modern University and How to Change It

Robert E. Calvert is professor of political science at DePauw University.

A standard charge in recent years has been that the American university has become unduly politicized. That is largely a misperception fostered by the grandstanding of left-leaning humanities professors and the consequent lamentations of right-leaning commentators who seem to believe it a proper function of universities to instill an uncritical patriotism in their students. The more pertinent worry is whether today's universities are doing what they can and should to give their students the knowledge and the critical acumen needed to lead the sovereign public of a democratic superpower. It would be hard to imagine a more appropriate and illustrious cast of contributors than the one here assembled to shed light on this very timely concern.

• Chapter 1 PrefaceChapter 2 Political Education and the Modern UniversityChapter 3 Between Resignation and Utopia: Political Education and the Modern UniversityChapter 4 Liberal Education and the Civic ProjectChapter 5 The Media, the Mall, and the Multiplex: America's Invisible Tutors and the End of CitizenshipChapter 6 The Values of Media, the Values of Citizenship, and the Values of Higher EducationChapter 7 Public Spaces and MyUniveristy.comChapter 8 The Culture of Expedience: Liberal Education Meets the "Real" WorldChapter 9 Education and Character in an Age of Moral FreedomChapter 10 Democracy, Character, and the UniversityChapter 11 How Do We Talk?God Talk and American Political LifeChapter 12 Plato's Dogs: Reflections on the University after 9/11Chapter 13 The Civic Education of a Black American in a Great Big WorldChapter 14 Moral Education and Democratic CitizenshipChapter 15 Utopias Gone Wrong: The Anti-Political Culture of the Modern University and How to Change It